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Regular-article-logo Friday, 19 April 2024

Jaguar stiff charges on Arsalan too

He has been charged with causing disappearance of evidence and providing false information for screening the offender

Our Special Correspondent Calcutta Published 18.09.19, 10:00 PM
If convicted, Arsalan, the 21-year-old MBA from Edinburgh could be jailed for up to seven years

If convicted, Arsalan, the 21-year-old MBA from Edinburgh could be jailed for up to seven years File picture

Police on Wednesday filed a chargesheet against Raghib Parwez and brother Arsalan, scions of the family that runs biryani chain Arsalan, and their uncle Mohammad Hamza in connection with the Jaguar crash that left two Bangladeshis dead early on August 18.

The chargesheet says Raghib, 25, was driving the Jaguar F-PACE during the accident at the crossing of Theatre Road and Loudon Street.

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The youth has been charged with causing culpable homicide not amounting to murder, attempt to commit culpable homicide not amounting to murder, rash and negligent driving, mischief and jumping the lights and also under the prevention of damage to public property act.

If convicted, he could be imprisoned for up to 10 years.

Raghib’s younger brother Arsalan, who had allegedly courted arrest claiming he was at the wheel, has been charged with causing disappearance of evidence and providing false information for shielding the offender.

If convicted, the 21-year-old MBA from Edinburgh could be jailed for up to seven years.

Hamza has been charged with harbouring criminal —an offence that, if proved, could land him in jail for up to three years.

The Jaguar had allegedly hit a Mercedes, forcing it to veer off its track and hit two by-standers, both Bangladeshis. The two died on the spot.

The police said they were in possession of CCTV footage that shows Raghib had jumped the lights. This, officers said, was corroborated by witnesses, including a youth who was sitting next to Raghib in the Jaguar when it crashed into the Mercedes.

“Although there is no evidence of either Arsalan or Hamza being present at the spot, they have been booked and chargesheeted for misleading the police and harbouring criminal,” an officer familiar with the probe said.

Sources said Arsalan had gone to the office of the deputy commissioner of police, south, and “surrendered” after stating that he was driving the Jaguar during the accident. He was arrested based on his statement.

“The Jaguar’s event data recorder (EDR), however, revealed that Arsalan’s elder brother Raghib was at the wheel,” an officer said.

By the time the police started looking for him, Raghib had allegedly fled to Dubai, where his family has a business.

“We came to know that Hamza had played a crucial role in felicitating Raghib’s escape from the country,” the officer said.

Raghib returned two days later and was arrested.

“The fact that Raghib was the prime accused does not reduce the offence committed by his brother and uncle to save him and mislead the police. Had they not done that, they could have been free today,” a senior officer at Lalbazar said.

The 400-odd-page chargesheet, filed at the Bankshal court, contains statements of over 60 witnesses.

It cites the report of the Jaguar’s EDR that the car was was travelling at 135kmph and the speed came down to 69kmph in 10 seconds when it crashed.

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